JACKSONVILLE, Ill. – Some late heroics helped the Grinnell College baseball team salvage a split with Illinois College in Midwest Conference action Thursday.
 
The Pioneers trailed 6-4 entering the top of the ninth inning before going to work. Michael Slattery '18 had an RBI single and Nathan Zaroban '18 hit a run-scoring single to center to tie the game. Another run came across on an error and Benjamin Wong '18 gave Grinnell some insurance with a sacrifice fly to left.
 
Grinnell managed nine hits in the game, with three by Zaroban and two by Jared Booth '21.
 
The Pioneers got out to a 4-0 lead in the first two innings. In the first, Sam Galanek '18 belted a three-run homer and a wild pitch in the second allowed Zaroban to score.
 
But the hosts scored twice in the third, fourth and sixth innings to take command before Grinnell's rally.
 
Brock Weirather '21 was the winning pitcher, striking out eight over 8-2/3 innings. Charles Carr '19 finished things off for the save.
 
Julian Cabrera '19 had two hits in the opener, a 9-3 Blueboy win. Grinnell scored in the first inning on a passed ball, added a run in the fourth on Slattery's RBI double to right-center and scored a run in the fifth via an error.
 
Sam LaMotte '20 suffered the pitching loss. Grinnell is now 4-2 in the MWC and 7-12 overall, while Illinois College moved to 1-1 in the league and 9-7 in all games.
 
Galanek moved up three Grinnell career categories in the contests. He is now seventh in RBIs (85) and putouts (499) and 10th in chances (546).
 
The teams are slated to play another twin bill in Jacksonville this weekend.